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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump

The analysis suggested the remarks were meant conditionally to provide a “carrot” to urge larger denuclearization measures from Pyongyang.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned the possibility of loosening sanctions for the first time in a message urging North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to make a wise decision in connection with the second North Korea-US summit less than two weeks from now.

Pompeo also strongly hinted that discussions on a declaration ending the Korean War and a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula could take place at the summit.

“It’s our full intention of getting a good outcome in exchange for relieving those sanctions [against North Korea],” Pompeo said in a Feb. 14 interview with the CBS network while in Warsaw.

“I’m very hopeful that we can do that,” he added. “It will be up to Chairman Kim to make this decision,” he continued. “Now it’s time for him to deliver.”

At the same time, Pompeo stressed that this would require North Korea to proceed with verifiable denuclearization.

“Chairman Kim’s told us that [North Korea is committed to completed denuclearization] repeatedly. And we’ve also said: trust but verify,” he said.

“We’re going to have to be able to verify that he does it,” he added.

When asked whether this meant sanctions would only be lifted after complete denuclearization and verification thereof, Pompeo replied, “Now it’s time for us to begin the effort to take the step on denuclearization, and I’m hopeful that this summit will deliver that.”

Pompeo’s remarks showed the recent shift to a more flexible stance from the White House, which had previously been rigid in its insistence on denuclearization before any loosening of sanctions.

“The US is well aware that they will have to address the sanctions issue to get North Korea to proceed actively with denuclearization,” Handong Global University professor Kim Joon-hyung said of Pompeo’s remarks.

“He was saying that the US could offer [suitable] incentives to North Korea depending on what actions the North takes,” Kim concluded.

A US administration official familiar with North Korea-US dialogue said the remarks signaled the two sides’ “definite commitment to producing results at the second summit,” but added, “Given the rigid line the US has adhered to in terms of insisting that sanctions be maintained against the North, [Pompeo’s] remarks suggest the ball is being passed to North Korea’s court.”

The analysis suggested the remarks were meant conditionally to provide a “carrot” to urge larger denuclearization measures from Pyongyang.

Pompeo’s remarks on Feb. 15 are drawing particular attention in the wake of State Department Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun’s reference to a step-by-step approach of pursuing denuclearization “simultaneously and in parallel” during a Stanford University speech on Jan. 31. Those comments fanned speculation that the US could proceed with loosening or waiving sanctions to allow the resumption of tourism at Mt. Kumgang and/or operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex if North Korea delivers measures above and beyond its promise last year to dismantle its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, such as missile dismantlement and/or nuclear reporting. But foreign affairs sources said the resumption of Mt. Kumgang and the Kaesong complex are not being specifically discussed at this time.

An agreement on an end-of-war declaration also appears possible at the summit, depending on the level of denuclearization measures that North Korea proposes. When asked in a Feb. 14 Fox News interview how much the issue of a formal end to the Korean War was being discussed in negotiations with North Korea, Pompeo replied, “[W]e not only discussed denuclearization, but we talked about creating security mechanisms, peace mechanisms on the Korean Peninsula.”

“I hope the two leaders have a chance to talk about that as well. I fully expect that they will,” he added, in remarks that read as a strong affirmation that discussions will take place not only on an end-of-war declaration but also on establishing a peace regime.

Efforts to coordinate North Korea’s denuclearization steps with corresponding US measures are to be addressed in earnest in working-level talks next week between Biegun and North Korean State Affairs Commission Special Representative for US Affairs Kim Hyok-chol.

“We have a team leaving again this weekend to travel to Asia to continue to prepare for the summit,” Pompeo said in the CBS interview. The scale of outcome from the second summit appears poised to hinge on how much progress the two sides can make in bridging their differences during their battle against the clock over the next 10 days

By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent, and Noh Ji-won, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]